Protests and Policies

Goooooood morning ya’ll!  I’m not going to hold you long.  Wednesday nights have become a very integral part of my week.  Even when I’m bogged down with activity, I look forward to the REfresh Bible study.  It helps me adjust my focus and often provides comic relief as well.  Last night was no exception. 

The panel discussion format continued to reign supreme and steered our focus towards educating ourselves about the legal system and our rights.  Protesting is a good way to show your frustration with inequality.  After protesting, we need practical steps to activate change.  After protesting, we have to get in tune with the policies that are perpetuating systemic racism and dismantle them.  One march will not solve all our ills.  We have to remain consistent and intentional.  So what does that mean?

We have to know the voting records of the politicians that are running for office.  Uggggh….I know….research….learning.  The great news is that we have bounds of information available at our fingertips.  The bad news is that we can trust some unreliable sources and spread that information like the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Trust me…I know some unreliable sources.  My first question is always “Where did you get this information?”  That’s a different story for a different day.

We also need to be informed about the impact that different issues on the ballot will have on our lives.  There is no worse feeling than getting into the voting booth and realizing that you don’t know anything about the issues at hand.  While everyone needs to exercise their right to vote, they also need to have a clear understanding of what’s at stake.  We’ve got work to do. 

As the panel was winding down, a panelist brought up Mark 5.  There is a man who has been tormented by demons.  The people have tried to chain him up multiple times.  He’s wreaking havoc.  He is an outcast.  His life changes when Jesus comes and frees him from the demons that have had him bound.  The chains didn’t change him.  Jesus did.

This is a wonderful commentary on our mission as the church.  We should advocate for mental health reform.  We should be intentional in our push for community outreach that helps broken and bound people become free.  That’s easier said than done.  It’s pretty and nice to say but much harder to see through until the end.  I’m not giving up on us.  #wepreach